


Disney Princess Warriors

by rini1031



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Disney Princesses
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Background Femslash, Background Relationships, Canon acceptable violence, Disney Multiverse, Disney Princesses - Freeform, F/F, Fusion of Disney Adaptation and Source Material, No Gore, Princesses Fighting Back, RPG classes, RPG/Disney Fusion, Role-Playing Game
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-06 22:00:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6771934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rini1031/pseuds/rini1031
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the talented Disney and Game/Armour making Cosplayers, this a RPG/Disney fusion story.  More chapters/Princesses are forthcoming and several are up for grabs if you want to join in!</p><p>7 May 2016 - Cinderella and Belle are up<br/>8 May 2016 - Tumblr is up: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/disneywarriorprincesses.  There is a piece of fan art posted for the Council as well as some re-blogs from one of our other influences.  Look out for cosplay in-progress images soon!<br/>20 May 2016 - Aurora and Maleficent are up!  This is a recommended Main chapter.</p><p>What happens to the Disney Princesses' worlds when evil creatures attack?  They fight back!  Each Princess adopts a RPG fighting class and they band together; Cinderella has a battleaxe, Belle is a Sorceress, ect...  Each chapter is stand-alone and - aside from the "Main Quest" chapter(s), are focused on individual Princesses and can be skipped or read independently of the others.</p><p>Please read the Introduction and Instructions chapter for further details!</p><p>This work contains NO gore and only canon-acceptable violence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction and Instructions (please read!)

Hello, this is Rini1031; I’m one of the authors of this story. Laylah and I got the idea to write this fanfiction because we both love Disney Princesses and are both members of the Cosplay community. We’ve seen a lot of very talented Disney cosplayers over the years in various kinds of AU Princess cosplays, but, we noticed that all the “post-apocalyptic” style cosplays – while lovely and very well done – were all on the gory side. We hate gore; I won’t even go see horror films due to the gore and jump scares, and Laylah will only go if forced and with a group.

Laylah and I also play online RPG games and love to watch armour cosplays and cosplay tutorials on YouTube (side note – we want to make Peter Jackson LotR Elven armour one day!). So we were playing around one day, and we were asking each other what class each Disney Princess (and leading lady) would be. At the time, we were using classes found in the Elder Scroll Oblivion series as we were both fans; we have since branched out some to include flavours of WoW and Dungeons and Dragons.

A guide to the Princesses’ classes and abilities will be included at the end of the Prologue.

 

**There will be no gore or overt violence beyond what appears in the original Disney film the characters appeared in! However, there will be off-screen character death.**

**All chapters are standalone and complete! Some storylines will be added to, but each chapter is a complete vinaigrette and finished; any chapter save the Prologue can be skipped.**

**There will be shipping and femslash in some chapters, but all shipping chapters will be clearly marked and will not be included or necessary for understanding the main story line.**

If you are interested in writing or cosplaying one of the characters, please say so in the comments, and one of us will contact you to set it up. Cinderella (1), Belle (2), Jasmine (unwritten yet, but claimed), Esmeralda and Mulan are already claimed, but the others are free.

 

It goes without saying, but we do not own Disney or any of the Disney Characters that appear in this story.  We do own the cosplays and images created by us (Laylah and Rini1031) for this story.  This is not an original concept, but we came up with the details and how the characters and classes fit together and the details of the stories ourselves.

 

**Some Important Notes on Ages, Timeline and Locations:**

Clearly, Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Brave (14 – 15 centuries), Atlantis, and The Princess and the Frog (late 18-early 1900’s) all take place in a very different time from the rest of the films; we’re also not really sure when Aladdin (post-apocalyptic itself?) and Mulan are meant to take place. Therefore, we threw timelines out the window! Just pretend that all these stories just take place around the same time (late 17-early 1800’s for ease of technology and author’s familiarity – also around when we figure most of the stories are meant to take place based on costume). In general, the Princesses are aged in relation to when their films were released; therefore, Snow White is older than Elsa and Anna since she has grown in the years between their films were released, but we also took the Princesses’ ages in the films into account. As Belle is older than Snow White in Beauty and the Beast, she is older than her now. There are two exceptions to this rule: Cinderella and Aurora as they are both mostly (completely!) influenced from the new live action films and are, therefore, younger than the other Princesses.

A general listing, from oldest to youngest, is: Esmeralda, Pocahontas, Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, Ariel, Mulan, Tiana, Elsa, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Anna, Aurora and Merida*. Of course, we all know Disney Princesses don’t age, so feel free to picture them however you wish.

One note on characterization, neither Laylah nor I enjoy Once Upon a Time for a multitude of reasons – message us and we’ll send you the rant! – so, except for Mulan, any chapters we write will not have any OUaT influences.

Regarding locations: In general, we tried to keep the stories in their native locations, but there were a few exceptions: Cinderella – we weren’t quite sure where to place her, but there is an English tradition for Ashepattle (the version in the 1812 Grimm Brother’s book), and the LA film seems to be set in England, as do most of the re-tellings, so, to make things easier on us and for reasons that can’t be revealed here just yet, Cinderella is set in Southern England. Maleficent is another hard one; both France and Germany can argue for Sleeping Beauty – France probably winning for the strictly Disney version with names like, well, Maleficent and Phillip – but, the LA is very clearly set in Northern England (the Moors. Point made.), so we set it in Northern England

 

* Word of God states Elsa and Anna are 21 and 18, respectively, but Laylah and I are both Royal History scholars, and that just doesn’t make sense; take King Kristina of Denmark: at 18 she was crowned King and her regency was ended. There is no way Arendelle would wait an additional three years when their Queen was of age to rule. As for Anna, we both agree that she is likely 16 (and we think she looks about 16 too). You might disagree, and, please, feel free to, but this is how we see them. Their ages do not matter and should not be referenced in their story.

 

* * *

 

**Instructions:**

Read the Prologue and any chapter(s) marked “Main”

Chapters named **Character** are origin stories and necessary to that Princess’ storyline

Chapters named **Character II/III** , ect... are further adventures of that Princess

Chapters named **Character, Character** are non-shipping stories about two (or more) characters, usually introducing the second character

Chapters named **Character/Character** are shipping stories and are fully optional.

 

For example: if following Belle’s storyline, you would read – in order:

Prologue; Chapter Two, Belle; Chapter X, Belle II; Chapter X, Belle, Esmeralda; Chapter X, Belle/.


	2. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a necessary chapter to understanding the rest of the Universe. Each Princess and their abilities are outlined here; this chapter takes place roughly seven years into the future from the Princesses' origin chapters. 
> 
> There is a Character/Class list at the end of the chapter.

 Seven Years Later...

 

 The bells rang out loudly in the castle hall. Immediately there was a flurry of movement as both people and Princesses alike ran to their stations. It might seem to an outsider to be chaotic, but the years had made these moments second-nature to the castle’s inhabitants, and there was no deviations in the patterns.

 

Belle, in the library, left her students – young and old alike – in the charge of her aide and headed for the stairs to the battlements. On her way, she met Merida, whose unfortunate duty was the Council today; otherwise, the Scottish Princess would have been rushing in from the stables or from training fields with Mulan. They passed Rapunzel and Tiana headed up from the kitchens to the main doors and, surprisingly, found Anna with them, finishing a chocolate bar. Anna waved to them and cried out as she saw her sister exiting the Council Room with Snow White.

  
Anna , Elsa and Snow passed Rapunzel and Tiana at the Great Hall and, meeting Cinderella, left the cool keep into the hot Summer day. Immediately, Elsa blew a soft, cool wind in their direction, one the other’s appreciated given their heavy or rather protective dress. Crossing the stone bridge, Snow halted at her post and waved the others on. Down the hill on the path the Princesses walked, passing the farmers and other workers on their way back to the Castle Keep for safety.

  
The path then rose, and Pocahontas waited for them at the top of the steep incline. She greeted the others and joined their party, reporting her findings as they walked the rest of the way to the barricades. There, Esmeralda was shepherding the remaining people to their posts. At the Princesses’ arrival, the people stopped and bowed. Elsa, Cinderella and Anna returned the bow with small courtesies of their own, and Pocahontas just nodded, her eyes searching the horizon ahead. Behind the Princesses came a snort and Anna turned around just in time to sidestep a head butt from Nima, Jasmine’s newest tiger.

  
Beside Jasmine, Mulan was leading her new horse. They had decided today would be a good day to test their newest companions’ training. Mulan looked miserable in the heat, and Elsa sent another cooling wind her way, careful to keep the air away from Jasmine who was the only one enjoying the weather. Mulan nodded her thanks and went to Pocahontas and the newly arrived Ariel to hear the latest report.

  
Ariel was currently rising from the river they had designed to allow her easy access to and from the Keep. She wrapped the garment that Cinderella provided around her and smiled broadly to thank her; Cinderella blushed and smiled back before turning and going to speak quietly with Esmeralda and the people at the first line of the barricade. This was her post, her’s and Elsa’s. Ariel was signing quickly, having lost her speech as she gained legs, but Pocahontas had taught her this language and she, Mulan and Belle were all fluent in it. Jasmine was less fluent than her fellow mounted Princess, so she tended to Nima and Mulan’s horse, keeping them calm and their bodies limber.

  
There was a sudden shout; one of the people spotted Merida’s falcon returning and all gathered resumed their positions save Esmeralda who turned and took the path back to the Keep to update the others. All the same, she could feel the fire rushing through her veins; it was the same now as ever, and she secretly hoped that she and Snow White would still get to enjoy some of the fun today. At her approach, Tiana closed the heavy doors to the Hall, sealing the keep. They shimmered slightly in the afternoon sun; a spell of protection cast from the battlements high above, no doubt. Esmeralda looked up and saluted Belle, Merida and Aurora, and Belle, looking at her, responded with a smile and small curtsy as was their custom.

  
They were ready. Belle stood with her golden staff, gathering her protective magic and sending it out to the Princesses in the field. Merida’s bow was notched, and behind her were some two dozen other archers waiting for her signal. She stood staring into the distance with Belle’s power augmenting her eyes, watching and, for the moment, waiting. Aurora stood back and on the highest of the battlements, watching the skies for her Godmother and relaying signals to her and the field. Tiana and Rapunzel held the Keep’s doors and waited to heal the wounded people and Princesses. Esmeralda and enchanted knives and poisons and Snow White and her animal army held the bridge.

  
At the barricades, Anna and Cinderella stood with their silver war-hammer and axe, respectively, both weapons nearly as large as the women who wielded them; both also enchanted by Belle to be light to the touch. Pocahontas stood further back and had taken her bow and notched it; unlike Merida, her bow was smaller, better equipped to close combat and quick firing. She also had a small knife and black flint strapped to her thigh. Ariel tightened her makeshift dress and readjusted her grip on her trident; unlike many of the others, her weapon was unenchanted, but, rather, it was sharpened with magic to make the points fine and stop dulling or corrosion. Elsa stood unaffected, her seemingly unamoured dress floating around her as she began ‘warming up’ her magic; in a moment, she would move forward with the others, using ice to both protect and strike down their foes. She felt a sudden warmth as Belle offered some of her own power to help bolster her from a long day of the Council. Beside Elsa, Mulan and Jasmine were anxious, ready to begin; their mounts seemed to feel the warriors’ readiness, and they pawed at the ground, ready to go. Mulan was about to reign her horse in, when she too felt a thread of Belle’s protective magic coat her armour and calm her horse.

  
The hawk cried, and the battle began. The Creatures came into sight, and, immediately, the first two were struck down by arrows; almost instantly, the archers re-notched their bows and fired again. Jasmine and Mulan spurred on their mounts and raced the field, swords slaying as they cut paths through the Creatures. Behind them, Cinderella and Anna followed a different path, cutting down the front line. Elsa froze the archers and ranged enemies from her position before moving on to the front line that had escaped the archers. Later she would walk through their ranks, freezing Creatures and targeting their commanders. Ariel initially took to land, but then ran and dove into the river, swimming around the Creatures and coming up behind them with her trident.

  
Like their many other battles over the past few years with the Creatures, it was over quickly. After barely two hours, the Creatures’ leaders lay dead, three by Elsa’s hands, two by Jasmine’s. Mulan had killed nearly forty of their more powerful lieutenants and Jasmine, while she couldn’t match that number, had at least thirty to her count. Ariel’s routing of the foe had demoralized the Creatures carrying their war machine, and she had killed two dozen herself. Maleficent was the one responsible for the machine’s falling, however, as the Creatures with it were terrified by her aerial approach. Together, she and Ariel destroyed the back army until the lieutenants with iron weapons and armour came and forced her into a retreat. Anna and Cinderella had nearly a hundred between them, having taken the grunts.

  
A few broke through and made their way to the bridge where Snow White and Esmeralda were waiting. These Creatures’ bodies were then taken by Snow’s animals back to the field to be burned with the others after the retreat was sounded. Aurora ordered the victory bells rung, and Rapunzel left the Keep to cross the bridge. Esmeralda then escorted her to the field to heal all who needed it.

  
There were few injuries, but enough that Rapunzel had to prioritize their order. No Princesses needed her this time; Mulan had sustained a blow, but the wound was shallow and already had stopped bleeding. Jasmine was bruised, and Nima had been scratched by something, but both were standing and fine, so Rapunzel left them to Belle and focused her attention on the people. Ariel swam and Maleficent flew after the few Creatures that retreated to make sure they left before she returned to help Rapunzel heal the injured.

  
At the Castle, Belle, Merida and Aurora returned to the Great Hall to see Tiana ordering the people to prepare food and baths for the returning Princesses and warriors. As it was still daylight, the farmers and field workers went to Snow White to see if they would be returning to their duties. Sure enough, as the other Princesses returned, Snow and Mulan escorted the workers back to their posts.

  
Elsa, unsoiled from the battle, returned to the Council with Aurora and a petulant Merida; Elsa and Merida were armed with dark, rich coffee handed to them by Tiana on her way back to the kitchens to help them with this unpleasant duty. In the kitchens, Tiana helped the people prepare for their dinner meal; served at dusk, in the Summer months, this was the only hot meal of the day. Breakfast being a meal of largely fruit and cold meats. The midday meal was, again, mostly cold meats but with vegetables, cheese and bread and honey; sometimes, for the Castle’s inhabitants, soup or stew was served, but that was mostly in the colder months. Belle called for her students and, after setting a scout to alert her to Mulan’s return, returned to teaching letters and rudimentary mathematics.

  
Cinderella and Anna retreated immediately to the baths room and stripped of their reinforced battle gowns and stepped into the heated pool. Esmeralda joined them for a few moments of camaraderie before leaving for her bed; she would be taking the night shift. Cinderella was also assigned for the night shift, so she too left for her bed shortly after. Jasmine joined Anna in the pools after she tended to her mount and the rest of her tigers. She was assigned the early shift, so she would remain up through dinner and had the luxury to soak with Anna. Snow and Maleficent came in, but they only stayed to do a rudimentary wash as Snow also had the night shift – her’s in the Council – and Maleficent was uncomfortable with the bathing pools. Ariel and Pocahontas were also uncomfortable with the pools and chose to bathe together in the river.

  
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the bells rang signalling the half-hour until dusk and the official end to the day. Belle released her students, and Merida, more excited than any student, fairly ran from the Council room. Elsa walked with an unnatural calmness that betrayed her excitement to see her sister before dinner. Aurora again climbed the battlements to visit her Godmother and bring her the dinner Tiana had sent up for her; Maleficent rarely, if ever, ate in the Castle. Ariel and Pocahontas had returned to the Keep at some point and went to their rooms to change for dinner, both choosing more conservative outfits for being among their people.

  
The quarter-to bells rang, and Belle tarried around the empty library, waiting. Just as she was about to leave, she saw a flash of red and black as Mulan appeared at the door. Belle smiled and walked up to the warrior and raised her hands; Mulan took them and placed them on her cleaned wounds and Belle’s eyes flashed gold as she released power into Mulan’s body. Instantly, Mulan felt the skin heal and her strength return. With a smile, Belle moved to step away when Mulan grasped her hand and tucked it into her arm. Together, they left the library to join the other Princesses at the doors to the dining hall.

  
The bells rang the dusk hour. The doors to the hall were flung open by Belle’s magic; as one, the Princesses entered the hall and walked past their bowing people to the head table. As they had done every night for the past seven years, they took their seats and released the people to sit. Quickly, the hot food was brought out and everyone ate and toasted another day of life and safety.

 

 

 

 

 

Princesses and Their Abilities

  

Queen Snow White – Druid – Can command animals and weak-willed people or close friends for limited amounts of time. Responsible to overseeing Castle’s cleanliness and the kitchen and food storage; Council Member – alternates as Lead Councillor.

  
Queen Cinderella – Barbarian – Silver Battleaxe, enchanted to be lightweight and never dull; armoured dress, enchanted to withstand damage. Responsible for maids and Castle cleanliness. Council Member; sometimes serves as Lead Councillor.

  
Queen Aurora – Undetermined

  
Maleficent – Aerial – Warrior that specializes in aerial attacks; limited healing and the ability to control plants and nature. No responsibilities in the Castle.

  
Queen Ariel – Scout – Reports on enemy movement; also carries magically sharpened Trident. Mute on land with legs, can talk in Mermaid form. No responsibilities in the Castle, but acts as Ambassador to Atlantis and as Atlantian Council Member if needed.

  
Princess Belle – Sorceress – Magical support unit; casts defensive/protection spells, casts supporting spells to bolster strengths, enchants weapons and armour (dresses), limited healing and battle magic (BM is based on wind or enchanting random objects to temporarily fight). Responsible for education in the Castle. Council Member; sometimes serves as Lead Councillor.

  
Sultana Jasmine – Calvary – Un-armoured, mounted fighter; rides Tigers and has two magically sharpened Silver Scimitars – does not specialize in close or un-mounted combat. Council Member and responsible for animals in the Castle, also responsible for training and commanding both one soldier and several guard battalions. Council Member

  
Chieftain Pocahontas – Rogue/Scout – Reports on enemy movement and provides herbs for potions and the Healing House; in battle, uses quick-shot, short range bow and knives – prefers to attack from behind if forced into close combat; escorts healers and other support units if they need to join a battle. No responsibilities in the Castle; only rarely appears in the Council.

  
Esmeralda – Bard/Nightblade – Uses knives, potions and poisons to attack from behind; favours stealth attacks – escorts healers and other support units if they need to join a battle. Jointly responsible (with Anna) for entertainment in the Castle; also responsible for a guard battalion.

  
General Mulan – Warrior/Calvary – Armoured fighter, specializes in both mounted and close-combat; prefers a straight-edged Silver sword, rides horses. Trains and is responsible for majority of the Keep’s soldiers and guards; makes majority of battle plans and contingencies.

  
Queen Kida – Atlantian Queen and ally to the Princesses and the Castle. Is not involved in the main-land battles. Is officially a Council Member, but Ariel votes for her if needed.

  
Queen Tiana – Druid/Healer – Can control animals and had limited healing. Is responsible for food preparation in the Castle. Council Member; rarely acts as Lead Councillor .

  
Princess Rapunzel – Healer/Rogue – Primarily a healer, but also uses stealth and an enchanted lead/iron frying pan if needed for defence only. Head Healer in the Castle, responsible for training other healers and medics; is also in charge of them post-battle.

  
Princess Merida – Archer – Long-range archer; has enchanted eyes to see in the distance, can accurately shoot around 300 yards/275 meters. Responsible for training and commanding Archer units in battle. Reluctant Council Member; very rarely acts as Co-Lead Councillor (with Anna, Rapunzel or Tiana) if Elsa, Cinderella, Belle and Snow White are unavailable.

  
Queen Elsa – Mage – Casts primarily offensive Ice magic; can cast some defensive magic, cannot heal or enchant. Council Member – alternates as Lead Councillor.

  
Princess Anna – Barbarian – Silver War-Hammer, enchanted to be lightweight, also has several iron picks and a broadsword if needed. Jointly responsible (with Esmeralda) for entertainment in the Castle. Responsible for Armoury.


	3. Chapter One: Cinderella

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cinderella's Backstory, written by Laylah Nik

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am mixing the 2016 live action and the original animated film: my Cinderella is based on Lily James, but my Prince/King is more the animated one. I also am picturing the LA Lady Tremaine and step-sisters – although Into the Woods did influence my step-family too. However, while I love Cate Blancett’s step-mother, for obvious reasons (that can’t be revealed here) the step-mother is physically the animated version. For other, various reasons, the Grand Duke has to be the animated one; I like the idea of a kindly old man trying to help the confused Ella get her footing with her husband gone so much. They haven’t been married too long – about two years. 
> 
> About the setting, according to what I can find, Cinderella is supposed to be set in France, but the LA version seems to be set in England. For certain reasons – and cultural familiarity – I’m setting Cinderella in England. And yes, the Ella/Cinderella thing matters here. 
> 
> Goes without saying, but no shipping, no violence and no gore. No worries!

Chapter One: Cinderella

_Laylah Nik_

 

Ella woke from a fitful sleep to a dark, cold room.  She was alone – again, but that didn’t surprise her anymore.  Ever since the dark clouds gathered weeks ago, her husband – the King – had been called away more and more.  Ella didn’t begrudge the people their leader; she knew her Prince Charming was trying to protect them all, but mornings like this scared her.

Rising, she shook off her dread and went to her wardrobe room.  Gazing on the gowns, Ella chose a rather simple one and went to tend to her morning ablutions.  After washing her hands and face and brushing her hair, Ella looked at the dress she had chosen.  It was simple, but with the dark, dismal sky and all the unhappy events lately, she didn’t want to dress in a more fancy gown.  Ella took in the modest neckline, long fitted sleeves, natural gathered waist, stiff stomacher, and loose skirt and decided to be bold and forego a corset today. 

‘My,’  she thought, ‘won’t my darling be shocked. I’m sure he’ll be pleased I won’t need a maid’s help before bed tonight. We’ll have all that time to ourselves!’  Pleased with her idea, Ella slipped into the dress and twirled in front of the mirror to get it to lay right.  Slipping into some high heeled shoes, she ran out the door and into the Royal Chambers. 

Ella laughed as she passed her startled maid who had desperately been trying to build a fire past embers.  With a shake of her head, Ella dismissed the girl and told her to abandon her futile efforts and make to the kitchens.  ‘At least those are warm.’  She thought.

Leaving the rooms, Ella was surprised to find the Grand Duke on the stair outside.  The jovial man looked worried, but he tried to smile as he saw Ella.  He bowed and she ran up and lifted his head for a quick kiss.  ‘Oh,’ she thought, ‘but his skin is freezing!’

“Are you well, Sir? Have you been by the fires today? You really must take care of yourself; you’re so dear to my husband and I.”

“Oh, dear. No, I’ve had no time. I was just coming to get you; things are getting worse. Three villages have been destroyed; Charming has taken our soldiers to try to find survivors. They were burnt!”

“Burnt!” Ella cried, “But how?”

“We don’t know for sure, but three women came to us last night. They had ridden through the forest to reach us; they are the sole survivors of their village.”

“Do you think there will be more?”

“Perhaps,” but even as he said it, Ella could see he was worried. “I certainly hope so.  The women seemed to think there might be. An alarm had been sounded by then.”

Ella stood silently for a moment.  Then, she got an idea. “I don’t suppose any mail can get through now?” She asked

“Mail?” The Grand Duke looked surprised. “No, I don’t think so, Your Highness. And, besides, who would you write to?”

“Queen Aurora. She has a magical Fairy Godmother like I have. Had? I’m not sure where she is; I’ve tried calling for her for weeks now. If I can’t get through to her, I thought I could try Princess Belle.”

“Princess Belle?” The Grand Duke asked.

“Well,” Ella murmured, “she’s nearby and Snow White says she’s very smart, and I know she’s dealt with magic before. If we wait for a letter to reach Arendelle or Germany it would take months.”

“Good thinking, Your Highness, but I’m afraid that I’m not sure if we can even get a message that far...”  The Grand Duke trailed off.  His face was worried and sad.  Ella knew it must be hard for him to see the kingdom he had loved and protected for years being attacked so.  She forced a smile and clapped her hands.

“I’ll go see to these three women. Grand Duke, you go rest and then send me the head maid. If my husband is bringing back more survivors, we’re going to need to clean and open the rest of the castle. Won’t it be nice to have people in the palace again?”

At that, the Grand Duke smiled; it had been a long nine months of mourning for the former King.  It would be nice to have children and people in the palace again, and he said as much to the Queen. Ella smiled again – for real this time – at the thought of people and a job to do.  She loved cleaning because it gave her a purpose, something she hadn’t quite found as a Princess or Queen yet.  Her husband assured her that it would come in time, but...  Ella shook her head to clear it; there was work to be done!

Curtsying, she turned from the Grand Duke and continued down the stair to find the three women.  She searched the parlours and sitting rooms she passed; they were all dark and cold.  The palace had been in official mourning, so no royal visitor had come and with the clouds... The rooms had just been left to sit. ‘That will change now.’ Ella thought with a smile, already thinking about children running happily through the halls.

Ella was so distracted by happy thoughts that she only turned around when she heard a sharp and familiar voice cry out “Cinderella.”

‘No!’ Ella thought, freezing. ‘It can’t be!’  In shock, she turned slowly to find that it was.  There, standing in the middle of the hall was her step-mother, Lady Tremaine.  The woman looked the same as ever; Anastasia and Druzilla looked frightful though.  It was as if they had been forced from their beds...  ‘Oh!’ Ella realized with a start, ‘they’re the refugees the Grand Duke mentioned.’  In that realization, Ella promised herself to be kind to them and even curtsied slightly to her step-mother.

“Are you alright, Lady Tremaine? I heard the village burned...” Ella trailed off.

“Physically, yes, we’re fine, but we were fortunate. Lucifer woke me, the storm had broken. I went to call the footman when I saw this thing.”

“Thing?” Ella asked.

“It was awful!” Anastasia cut in.  “Terrible, with glowing eyes and fangs!” Druzilla interrupted.  “Ladies!” Their mother boomed, cutting them off.

“It was unlike anything I’d ever seen, but it was at the front of the house – barricading it, so I woke my daughters and we escaped out the kitchen, to the stables and into the woods.”  “We rode astride!” Anastasia cut in.  “I tore my dress!” Druzilla wailed, “Can I have a new one, Cinderella?”

This time Lady Tremaine just sighed at her daughters.  Ella suppressed a laugh, knowing it wouldn’t go over well with her step-mother.  She caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye; it was Gertrude, the head maid.  Seeing that she’s been noticed, the woman bowed low and Ella nodded back.

“Gertrude, this is my step-family, the Lady Tremaine and her daughters, Miss Anastasia and Miss Druzilla.”  The maid bowed, more shallowly this time, “Ma’am.”

“Would you take Anastasia and Druzilla to find new dresses and clean themselves?  They’ve had a difficult night?”  With a curtsy to Ella, Gertrude indicated for the girls to follow her and led them to a chamber that was always kept prepared for a royal envoy.  After they had gone, Lady Tremaine turned to her step-daughter.

“You have done well here.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ella said, deciding that keeping her step-mother placated would be the smartest move.  She gestured for Lady Tremaine to precede her into a parlour with a fire and sit down close to it.  The older woman smiled slightly at her in thanks.  Ella seated herself across from her and asked her if she should call for tea.

“No, but a bit of that brandy would not go unwanted.”  Ella got up and poured a generous portion of brandy into a crystal glass and served it to Lady Tremaine herself.  “Now, child, I know you didn’t go to the Prince’s ball on your own, and I know that glass slipper was made with magic. Do you have it still?”

“Yes, but I can’t contact my Godmother anymore. You’ll think me silly, but I only just now thought to ask another princess for help. You would have done it at the first, wouldn’t you?”

“No, not at the very first, but after a week. It doesn’t matter now anyway. I think the world has changed and we will never go back. Where is your husband.”

“Off, looking for survivors, I think.”  Ella was honest with Lady Tremaine; she knew that while she and her step-mother didn’t get along or see eye-to-eye, the older woman was no fool.  She had scrimped and saved and fought and blackmailed and called in favours and _survived_.  Whatever was happening – changing – now, Ella knew she’d need Lady Tremaine’s help.

“Then there is a chance he will not return.” At Ella’s gasp, the older woman looked up sharply. “Oh, child, don’t be a fool. You always were a dreamer, well wake up!”  Ella couldn’t help but flinch from the words, true or not.  Lady Tremaine shook her head and rose, passing Ella and going to the cart with the brandy bottle.  Ella thought she was pouring herself more and was about to stop her – she needed her sober! – when a glass appeared before her hand. 

“Take it, you need it too. I am being cruel I suppose, but these _things_ – these creatures – they’re smart.  They blocked the roads, barricaded the doors so people burned.”

“The army!” Ella exclaimed, interrupting her step-mother.

“A good thought,” she replied, “but there were many of them, and I saw one lift a cart and horse well over its head.”

“No!” Ella cried. “He’s _taken_ the army with him! Or at least most of the Royal Guard.”

Lady Tremaine swore an oath; privately, Ella repeated it.  “Are there any left who can defend us here?”

“Do you think they will come for us?” Ella was shaking now; if the older woman was right – and Ella thought she might be – Lady Tremaine was cruel, but she was smart too.

“Yes. I think these things only want destruction; they targeted our fields, livestock, and storehouses. They waited until we were weak to attack.” Then, Lady Tremaine did a strange thing; she knelt down so that she and Ella were on the same level and she reached out and took her step-daughter’s face in her hand. “Whatever else you believe of me, I am sorry for this; I know what it is like to lose a husband. I have lost two now, and I also know what it is like to lose a husband that you love. In both cases, we – as women – are left to pick up the pieces and lead our families on, to _survive_ Cinderella. We must do that now.”

Before either woman could say another word or even move, the Grand Duke burst in the parlour.  He was red-faced and panting.  Instantly Lady Tremaine and Ella rose and faced him.  He tried to speak, but couldn’t.  Lady Tremaine took the brandy she had offered to her step-daughter and walked over to the Grand Duke.  He stared at it as if he wasn’t sure if he should drink it.  Ella privately thought the sight was quite amusing and thought she’d have to remember it to tell her husband. 

Suddenly, Ella couldn’t stay still any longer; she burst from her seat and bade the Grand Duke drink.  Gratefully, he obeyed and Lady Tremaine led him to the long sofa to sit. His gaze shifted around the room, never lingering on either woman. ‘This must be bad,’ Ella thought.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the man bow his head and moved his lips in a kind of prayer before looking straight into Ella’s eyes.

“Your Highness,” his voice waivered and cracked, “a lone guardsman has returned. The villages have indeed been burned...” For a moment he trailed off.  Ella was tense and rigid with fear – was her husband alive? what were these things that had attacked? was there anything she could do? – a curt “Continue, _please_.” from her step-mother – the please not a request – jolted Ella from her stupor to see Lady Tremaine gesturing at her just as curtly.  _Sit down!_   Ella obeyed her order just as she always had; the older woman looked amused for a split-second and then returned her attention to the nervous Grand Duke who – by now – was nearly in tears.

“He said... He said that the King...” A look at a furious Lady Tremaine and the Grand Duke turned as white as the furniture sheets. 

“For the love and fear of God, man! Tell this woman what you know!”

“Your Highness,” the Grand Duke started again, seeming to gain some strength, “the King is dead. The only returning guard said he died happy, with the knowledge that you are safe and well.” 

Ella felt numb; she was glad her step-mother had made her sit down.  Her husband was dead.  Her love – her husband...  The King.  Dead.  The Grand Duke was talking again, but Ella didn’t hear him.  Then her step-mother was talking.  ‘She isn’t mad now,’ Ella thought vaguely.  It didn’t matter.  Nothing did.  Her husband...

“Cinderella,” – that name, her step-mother? Ella hated that name, but it did it’s work.  Ella was now listening – “is concerned about the _things_ coming here. Are we safe?”

“I... I don’t know ma’am. For now we are.”

“Then we must make preparations at once.  Who is left that can fight.”

“Madam, these decisions must be made by the Princ- forgive me, your Highness, the Queen.” 

“Then,” her step-mother replied angrily, “inform her of the facts so she can make them, but don’t leave her and the rest of us women indefensible.”  At that, the Grand Duke burst into tears.  Ella and Lady Tremaine were both shocked by it.

“Grand Duke?” Ella called softly.

“I have doomed us all.” He said, talking through his tears. “When you said you would write Princess Belle I panicked. You must understand, I thought it was a joke... When the letter arrived, sent from her husband, I thought it was a joke. But it wasn’t, I see that now, it just took them time to cross the water. Forgive me, Princess, but I thought it was a joke...”

“Explain, please.” Ella said, trying to sound calm.

“I received a letter explaining about the darkness, the clouds, the fires, everything except the _creatures_ – I don’t think he knew about them yet. He said they were under attack from a magical source. He said Germany had already been attacked. I didn’t know what to do, so I did nothing. Oh, I replied of course, but just to ask what he meant ‘by magic.’ There was no reply. Then I sent letters to the Corona court, but there was no response. Finally, I sent an emissary, but he didn’t return.”

“When was this and why didn’t you tell us?”

“Nearly four months ago, you and the King were just coming out of official mourning and I didn’t want to trouble you.”

“But,” Ella exclaimed, “that was nearly three months ago! Is that why you told us it was expected to increase the period of mourning for a reigning monarch?”

“Yes, God help me! Yes. I wasn’t sure what was happening; I thought if he was in mourning the Prince – King – wouldn’t try to learn why there was no correspondence from any other kingdom.”

“Any?” Lady Tremaine asked. “Not even Arendelle or Queen Aurora in the North?”

“No, Lady, none, not after we lost contact with Prince Adam. I think he’s dead, and Belle and the Corona court too. I think – ”  The Grand Duke trailed off.  “Oh, please,” murmured Lady Tremaine with a fake gentleness that Ella knew so well, “continue, _Grand Duke_.”

“I think we are all that’s left.”

“And we,” Lady Tremaine continued, “will soon be dead if we don’t do something. Cinderella.”

“Yes, step-mother?”

“You are queen. Do we fight or do we run?”  Lady Tremaine ignored the Grand Duke sputtering on and focused her attention solely on her step-daughter.  Ella closed her eyes and offered a silent plea to her mother’s spirit.

“If we run, we will be chased and some of us will die.” Ella said, surprised that her voice didn’t shake.  “If we stay, and they are are strong as you say they are, step-mother, we all will die.” 

Lady Tremaine nodded her head approvingly; Ella thought as though she had finally done something right in her eyes.  The Grand Duke stood and poured himself another generous brandy. Ella was calm – the decision had been made after all.  Most of all, however, Ella was happy she had decided to forgo her corset today. 

She turned to the Grand Duke, “Ring the bells; have everyone gather in the ballroom and then send Gertrude for the crown jewels.”  He bowed low and left.  Ella turned to her step-mother and smiled faintly.  “I never thought I would say this, but thank you for your help today.”

Lady Tremaine smiled, “Well, I did promise your father I would look after you. Sit, gather your strength, _Princess_. We will need it.”

 

Coda, _Seven Years Later_ :

Cinderella dismissed the two strong men with a wave of her arm; she would send for them or others when they needed them.  Taking the handles, Cinderella smoothly pushed the rolling chair Belle had designed for Lady Tremaine across the battlements.  Both women were silent as Cinderella guided them around the Castle until they reached their favourite spot.  Moving the chair so it faced the open field, Cinderella sat in the bench specially installed for her beside the chair.  The women just sat and enjoyed the air for a few moments.  Then, the older woman started laughing.

“I was just thinking,” Lady Tremaine said, “about what Merida said today in Council.”

‘Oh no,’ thought Cinderella.  Merida _hated_ Council duty, and she made no secret of it.  “What did she do this time?”

“She called Member Stacks a – and I quote, dear – a ‘bear-headed, two-faced, lying, cheating, runt of a man only good for one thing: eating Tiana’s good cooking.’ She also accused him of not understanding the risk the Creatures still posed and that perhaps he should join you on the field next battle.”

“Oh, Merida!” Cinderella exclaimed.  “Well,” Lady Tremaine added, still chuckling, “at least she’s honest. Oh, and she added that that bear comment was ‘not to be taken in any at all, a good way’.”

“Yes,” Cinderella agreed, “she is honest.”

“She reminds me of Anastasia, at times.” Lady Tremaine continued.  “She is so strong-willed and vocal about her beliefs. I think they might have been friends, if she’d survived. I worry for Merida; she seems so alone, even here.”

“I wish they were here too, sometimes.” Cinderella murmured; she did too, at times.  Her step-sisters were fools and cruel, but they could have changed, grown...

“You just want to see them washing the castle’s floors with you.” Lady Tremaine said with a snort.  “Well,” Cinderella said with a smile, “there’s that too.”  Both women laughed.

Then, Lady Tremaine grew oddly serious; she sighed and slumped down a bit in her chair.  “You know, dear, I’m not a young woman anymore.”  She murmured, feeling her age and the last few years in the chair catch up to her.

“Oh Mother,” Cinderella cried, sliding off the bench to kneel at Lady Tremaine’s feet. “You’re not old, not yet.”

“No,” she allowed, placing a hand in Cinderella’s blond hair – it was worn loose tonight and was still slightly damp from her early bath.  “But I’m not young, and my heart is not very strong now.”

“Do you want me to get Rapunzel?”

“No, no, child,” Lady Tremaine said with a smile. “I’m not having another heart attack tonight, but I know how much you rely on me. I’m not young, Cinderella, and I’ve buried three families now. I just want you to know how glad I am to have one daughter that will survive me.”

Cinderella relaxed at her mother’s words.  She wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet; she had also buried two families – first her parents and then her husband and step-sisters, the latter all figuratively as they were on the move at that point – and wasn’t ready to say good bye just yet.

“I also want to start preparing you, dear; I know your mother – your real mother’s – death was a shock. My mother’s was too, actually, so I know how it must have hurt.”

“Oh, Mother,” Cinderella exclaimed, leaning up to hug Lady Tremaine, “you’re my real mother too, now. And I’ll be shocked and miss you very much when you die, but that won’t be for some time yet.  Besides,” she added, “who will keep the Council placated without you? You founded it and dedicated your life to it. And we need Elsa in the field more often than not.”

Lady Tremaine held her daughter close; this was their life now and, despite everything that had happened over a decade ago, they were family and loved each other.  She savoured these moments with her daughter – her final daughter – and laughed at fate for making her love this child the most out of all her children.

“I’m still training Snow White, dear. I think she will lead the Council well in a few years, but she’s like you and far too eager to please. I really need to beat that out of her. Figuratively,” Lady Tremaine added at Cinderella’s _look_ , “of course. We’ll get that Council sorted between the two of us and Elsa, and then it will really be just a formality for the rest of you.”

“We’ve both worked very hard here, haven’t we mother?” Cinderella asked, smiling up at the older woman.  “Yes, child we have. I have my Council, and you have this castle looking so clean we could eat off these floors. Not to mention your battle technique has improved significantly than just swinging an axe and hoping you hit something.”

Cinderella blushed. “I was rather new at martial arts then,” she murmured. 

“I thought it was amusing, but I am glad you actually know what you’re doing now. You _did_ nearly kill me, at first.”

“That was an accident!” Cinderella exclaimed, her raised voice drawing a glace from a nearby guard. “And, besides, you didn’t duck fast enough!” She added with a laugh.

“No, perhaps I didn’t; I like this enchanted weapon of yours – you can actually control it now.”

“My blade is as big as my body, crown to knee – it has to be enchanted. And you just like Belle, mother; ever since she made you that chair, she’s been your favourite.”

“After you, dear,” Lady Tremaine said, shivering slightly.  This far north, the air was cool at night, even in the dead of Summer.  She gathered her shawl around her gently. “Perhaps...” She trailed off; these nights were all the time she got alone with her daughter.  Both of them hated to end one, but it was early in the morning, and they both had their bed to attend to and duties the next night. 

Cinderella nodded and stood, signalling for a guard that was about to change shift to come and carry her mother down the stair.  Her mother secure in the guard’s arms, she lifted and folded the enchanted chair and carried it down behind them, careful not to trip on her mother’s dress.

Turning, suddenly, Cinderella glanced behind at the watery, pre-dawn light, and – for a second – she thought the dawn was green and purple.  With a smile and a hum, Cinderella turned back and quickly caught up with her mother as they continued on though the Keep for home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! We made it through the first one! How are you all doing? I hope you enjoyed this, and I really hope you didn't see the twist with Lady Tremaine coming!
> 
> Ok, I'm done with the exclamation marks now, but I can't tell you how excited I am that we're finally getting this story out to you all. This project has been a labour of love for us for the past nearly two years; what started as a cosplay project just grew into this. Speaking of cosplay, I've got some super secret news - there is going to be a summer photoshoot and we will (probably) have a Cinderella and her ridiculous(ly cool!) battleaxe!
> 
> Rini1031 (she's my editor for my original fiction) and I are really happy with how our Cinderella is; we wanted to keep her naivete from the 1950's film and add Lily James' lovely spunkiness to the character. We hope it reads like we envisioned it. There may be a Cinderella II later with more details about her early days with Lady Tremaine, her axe and the beginnings of the Council, but I'm not planning that until possibly summer. If you really, really, want to see that sooner, let me know and we'll try to expedite that.
> 
> A note on the council from Rini1031: The Council is a group of nobles led by the Princesses; one is always Lead Councillor - usually Elsa and Snow White, although Belle and Cinderella have both held the post when one or both are injured/in battle. Lady Tremaine, although she founded the Council to placate the nobles, cannot be Lead Councillor as she is not Royal. Most Princesses serve as Councillors, some more willingly than others. and the Council is run twenty-four hours a day, although, usually, the only Councillors present during the night-shift are the assigned Princess(es) and Lady Tremaine.
> 
> Technically, the Council must approve all military movements, Castle expenditures and Princesses must get approval to leave the Castle's safety, but, most of the time, the Council is a formality as Lady Tremaine and Elsa control it. Ariel, as an Ambassador, is not bound by the Council if she wants to travel to Atlantis.


	4. Chapter Two: Belle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Belle has always been and will always be my favourite princess, and she’s Laylah’s too. So, when Laylah and I came up with the idea for this universe, Belle was the first princess who’s back-story we came up with, and, for some reason, they asked me to write her chapter(s). I primarily used Page O'Hara's animated Belle, but I also drew from my years as a Belle cosplayer and performer and Susan Eagan's amazing Broadway version. Belle represents a different kind of Princess to many of us: she's smart, different, not afraid (or if she is, she doesn't let it show) and, most importantly for many of us, she's a brunette. In a world that worships tanned blondes, Belle is a relief and we love her for it. For both Laylah and myself, Belle was the first time we saw ourselves in a princess. 
> 
> My Belle is a strong thinker, a crazy inventor, an unapologetic dreamer, and a strong, stubborn young woman. My Lumiere and Cogsworth are the incomparable Jerry Orbach and David Ogden Stiers. 
> 
> Timeline note (for people who skimmed the Introduction): Belle is older than Cinderella, Snow White and many of the other Princesses and the film is older than Frozen, so we placed Belle at about 27or 28 or so and married for about a decade; of course, we all know Disney Princesses don’t age, so feel free to imagine her as you want. She’s one of the oldest Princesses in the story.
> 
> Oh, and a final note: I hate Adam; the name, not the character (although I’m not happy about the juvenile behaviour that is now being used in the current musical staging). The Prince is French, so François, Charles, Alain, Jean or even Claude would be a more appropriate name; I tried very hard not to name him so I didn't have to use that name, so if it seems odd, that's why.
> 
> No Shipping. Extremely mild descriptions of violence, no gore. Major Character Deaths.

Belle woke to laughter.  Light was streaming in through the open windows, the light blush-coloured curtains dancing in the late morning breeze.  She smiled and turned over, carefully opening one eye just enough that she could see but not enough to give away that she had woken.  Sure enough, Chip was standing at the side of her bed giggling to himself and carefully hiding something behind his back.  Before she could think what it was, Chip leaned over and began tickling her with a feather duster; fortunately, already awake, Belle only had to endure a few seconds before she reached over and grabbed Chip, pulling him onto the bed and tickling him instead.

At the sounds of his peals of laughter, her husband entered the room and smiled at the sight.  After a moment’s play, he clapped his hands and pretended to look stern when both Princess and boy turned to him. “You appear to be laying down on the job, young squire, and, as for you, Princess, you seem to be enjoying a rather lazy morning, as it is after ten now.”

“Ten!” Belle exclaimed. “Why didn’t you send Chip in sooner?” At Belle’s amazed look, both the Prince and boy burst out laughing. “Ah, Belle, but you were up so late preparing for the delegation, and we all had everything in hand, so I thought you might want to sleep in. Besides, it’s only barely ten.”

“Yes,” Chip added, “and you worked so hard making sure everything was ‘just so’ German for the emissaries; see, Belle, I finally learned that word: emissaries.” Chip said proudly, sitting up straight in the bed.

“Yes, Chip,” Belle said proudly, “you did very well. You and your mother worked very hard on the food and I’m very thankful to you both.”

“Oh, I don’t mind the work, after all, I’m just the taster, but can we be done with German food after this visit? I don’t think I can eat much more sauerkraut and pickles.”

Belle and her husband both burst out laughing and the Prince patted him on the head. “I think we can be done with the sauerkraut, the truth is, I’m sick of it too, but let’s not tell the delegation that.” “Ok,” Chip said with a smile, “can I go now, Belle?”  Belle nodded, and Chip bounced off the bed and with a very short bow ran out of the room.

“He does love you so.” The Prince said to his wife as he sat on the bed next to her. “You can stay in bed a few more hours if you’d like; the scouts say it will be hours yet. The emissaries are loath to leave Paris.”

Belle leaned over and kissed her husband gently. “No, I should get up. There is still work to be done, but thank you for the generous offer.” “I meant it. You work so hard and you haven’t been feeling well lately,” the Prince trailed off.  Belle smiled at him and took his hand, looking down at their joined hands, she sighed. 

“If we are right about this, love, things won’t be right for a long, long time. We should be together now, and I’m not going to leave your side, not now, not ever.” He smiled and, with his free hand, the Prince lifted her chin and kissed her gently, “And I won’t ever leave you, you or Chip,” he added with a laugh. 

“Do you ever wish...” Belle trailed off, sadly.  The Prince, knowing exactly what she was thinking after all these years squeezed their joined hands and lifted her chin again to look into her eyes. “Yes, Belle, I do _wish_ sometimes, but you are healthy and I’m healthy and we have so many other people that love us, so I am content. Are you happy here, Belle, with me?” “You know I am, Beast,” Belle said happily, echoing their words on the balcony all those years ago.  “I love you.” They both said in unison and laughed before sharing one final kiss.

The Prince stood, “I should go make sure Cogsworth hasn’t worried himself into an early grave.” “And I,” Belle said, “should get up and stop making Mme. le Bouche wait in the dressing room.”  With a laugh, they parted, the Prince kissing his wife’s hand as he let it go and turned to walk out of the room.  Belle blushed and smiled at his back and then rose from her bed and stretched before calling for the former wardrobe.

“Oh, Princess,” Madame le Bouche called, her shrill, oddly comforting voice coming from the attached dressing  room “is that you? I just walked in you know! Right now, not before.” “Yes, Madame,” Belle said, “I’m ready to dress.” The large, elegant woman waltzed into the bedroom with a flourish carrying a silver tray with Belle’s brush, comb, mirror and hair clips. “I think a crown would be too much today – you do know how those Germans are about pomp and production – no style, any of them, but I found the most _darling_ little diamond combs – they’ll set off your hair just _beautifully_! And I think you just _must_ wear it down, but, maybe with a braid or two – Germans _love_ braids, they practically _live_ in braids, and I know the best way to braid it and still show your length.  Did you know Germans just _adore_ long hair – it’s for all the braids, you know; I learned all this when I performed the role of Cavalli’s Medea to _rave_ reviews in Hamburg – at least, I thought they liked it, you can never tell with Germans.”

Throughout Mme.’s lecture, Belle just smiled and let her friend’s words just wash over her; she’d learned a long time ago to let the older woman talk and to use the time to prepare herself, but Belle did enjoy the company and noise.  Despite being royalty now, Belle had never been accustomed to quiet, and her husband and friends had quickly learned that and surrounded her with noise, unless, of course, she was in her Library.  As Mme. prattled on and finished Belle’s hair, they went into the dressing room where two gowns had been laid out; both had Belle’s beloved rose motif included somewhere: the green one had roses on the shoulders and at the waist and the pink one had a subtle rose embroidery on the bodice.  The pink dress also had a rose attached to the waist holding up a swoop of fabric on the skirt to reveal a slightly darker underskirt. 

Belle almost reverently touched the pink dress and smiled, imagining her and her beloved husband twirling around to a German polka in the dress.  Mme. le Bouche smiled through her continual chatter, now about her shinning Opera carrier, then about meeting Signor Cavalli and singing for him, as she swept the green dress up and busied herself putting it away and retrieving the necessary accessories for the pink dress.  “Madame,” Belle said, interrupting the older woman suddenly.  The singer immediately stopped talking; she knew the Princess had had a lot on her mind recently, and while she knew she tended to talk too much, she was always there when Belle needed to talk to her for a change.  When Belle remained silent, Mme. le Bouche sat down on the low couch and patted the cushion for the Princess to join her.  Finally, Belle ducked her head, as if shaking off a bad dream and sat next to her friend.

“What _is_ troubling you, Princess? I haven’t seen you this anxious since before – well, _before_!” Mme. ended with a nervous laugh.  “Oh Mme., you know things have been, well, odd lately.” Belle said, taking the shoes from her hands and dropping them onto the floor and taking them in her own.  “I know something is wrong, and I know this is just the beginning, Madame. My husband does too, in fact, he believed me enough to send letters to the other nearby Princesses, but I’m still worried something is coming. No, not something, a storm. A storm is coming Madame.”

“Well, we can handle a little bad weather, Princess,” Mme. declared, “let’s get you into that dress and some breakfast! Or is it lunch by now? Oh well, Mrs. Potts will feed you either way.”  And with that, Belle focused on dressing and preening until Mme. le Bouche declared her done. 

-:::::-

The large chair squeaked as both Belle and her husband collapsed onto it.  They were exhausted; the meeting with the German emissaries had been a disaster; well, not really, Belle thought, the food had been cleared completely, and the music was well received, and Cogsworth was still alive, but they had refused to listen to her.  They hadn’t laughed, not outright anyway, but Belle knew they would tonight, safely behind their carriage doors on their way back to Paris; in fact, not a one had agreed to spend the night.  They likely thought she was a lunatic and, having the means to do so, would rather risk the cold night and screaming wolves then spend a night beneath her roof. 

“Belle?” her husband called softly, “You know you’re not to blame. And you’re not that... What you’re thinking. You are the smartest, cleverest, most kind and most beautiful person I know. And I love you, Belle, no matter what.”

“They said he was a lunatic, you know, my father.” Belle said softly. “I never believed it, but-” “No!” the Prince roared, echoing his years as a beast. “You are not a lunatic. And neither was Maurice!” “I’m glad you have faith in me, my love, but they think it now. They all think it.” Belle was nearly in tears now.  “And the weather finally picked today to clear; perhaps we might have convinced them if the sky was still dark and grey.”

“I’m not so sure,” the Prince said softly, “I’m not sure if anything would convince them, but you tried; you tried so hard, and I know you’re right. Something is wrong, killing the plants, the crop, the water. We have been so lucky to have you and your research, but not everyone wants to see what is right in front of their face, especially if you’re right and this blight doesn’t have an easy solution.”

“But what about the East?” Belle argued, “Are we just going to abandon the East; we both know how inhabited it is, or, at least we have some idea, and the East likely has more crops and water then we do here in Europe.”  The Prince just sighed at his wife’s argument. “Yes, Love; there is nothing we can do for those people. In fact, if you’re right, the East has already fallen. That one Colonel did say they haven’t had any spice deliveries in some time.”

“Right as he helped himself to thirds of our spiced pickles!” Belle laughed. “I thought he was on fourths.” The Prince said, joining in with his wife’s laughter.  “Ah well, forget them, Belle. We’ll be just fine on our own; I’ve ordered new swords and engaged a former army-man from Paris to teach our farmers and villagers some martial skills if it comes to that.”

“I doubt a sword can fight a blight, but I do feel better all the same. You’ll laugh, but I actually thought last night after I woke up from my latest dream that I missed Gaston!”  “The lug that stabbed me in the back?” The Prince asked warily.  “Don’t forget, he also proposed marriage to me after waxing poetic about his thighs for ten minutes!”  “His thighs?”  He asked, incredulous.  Belle laughed, “oh yes, he claimed our union would be nearly as perfect as they were.” 

Now, both of them were laughing.  “Well, wife, perhaps we should see how my thighs compare to his!”  “No comparison, yours are better.” Belle said, reaching down to stroke her husband’s legs.  “Well,” her husband said, slightly breathless from laughter, “perhaps you should double-check, without the trousers covering them.”  “Why Sire!” Belle exclaimed, playing along, “are you propositioning me?”  “Indeed I am, Belle; so what do you say? Is it yes, or _ohhh yes_!” he asked, his voice deepening to a low growl.  “Only if you never quote that proposal again,” Belle said, kissing her husband as the Prince picked her up and carried her through the halls and to their bedroom.

Lumiere and Cogsworth, having been hidden in the shadows, stepped out into the ballroom; they were both always watching out for the Royal couple and while they were furious about how the delegation treated their beloved Princess, they were glad to see that she could still laugh.  They knew about the nightmares; Cogsworth, too, had suffered them, and both of them had seen firsthand the destruction to the crops and forest surrounding the castle.  Privately, Lumiere had gone into the woods one night the week before, and, not to his surprise, he didn’t encounter a single wolf or even a sign of one.  That still didn’t make sense, as the wolves cried all night, every night, but they just weren’t there.  Lumiere hadn’t wanted to bother Cogsworth or the Princess, so he’d kept his revelations strictly between himself and his concerned Prince.

Mentally shaking away the dark thoughts, Lumiere went about extinguishing the candles as Cogsworth tutted around, attempting to look busy so his friend wouldn’t think he was lingering behind to say goodnight; Lumiere wasn’t fooled, but allowed his dearest friend his pride.  They had known each other too long and had been through too much, and they both liked the companionship as they went about their duties.  Finally finished, the friends met up at the doors; Lumiere and Cogsworth both shot worried looks outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, but, glancing at each other, seemed to non-verbally agree to ignore the darkness, at least for the night, and shut the doors tight behind them.

“You know, old friend,” Cogsworth murmured, not wanting to be alone tonight, “I’ve got a lovely bottle of brandy, from _before_ , you know, just waiting to be opened.”  “Brandy, you say?” Lumiere said with a flourish, “well, if you’re offering, it would be a crime to waste it.”  “So it would.” Cogsworth added before taking his friend’s offered arm and leading the way back to their adjoining rooms.

-:::::-

Weeks passed, and everything seemed calm, save for a lingering gloom in the sky, a cold bite to the air and the incessant cries of wolves at night.  The Prince spent more time in forest, but, like Lumiere, he couldn’t find the source or the home of the wolf packs.  Belle’s dreams only got worse as the days passed, and she wasn’t alone; Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts both suffered horribly at night, to the point that Chip was sent to sleep with Babette and Lumiere spent his nights in Cogsworth’s bed, just waiting for his friend to wake screaming.  It took nearly an hour to calm him down, and, judging from his Prince’s eyes, the same could be said of Belle. 

The castle was like a shadow of its former self; nearly every other servant seemed to sleepwalk through their duties.  Through it all, Belle kept smiling, laughing at joke, pun or limerick Chip, the new, official Cheer-master, came up with, even if he’d already “come up with it” just two days before.  Taking their beloved Princess’ lead, the castle’s inhabitant tried to smile and laugh and me merry, but the pall lingered in the air.

Finally, nearly two fortnights to the day that the German delegation had left the castle hiding their laughter, the grey clouds turned to black and the storm broke.

Belle was in her Library trying to distract herself when she heard screams.  She started, dropping her book and running towards the parlour and a door to her husband’s precious rose garden.  Before she could get through the door, she heard a sound, a growl, and, terrified, but forcing courage on herself, she turned to the large windows to see a _creature_ standing there. 

It was tall – as tall as her Beast had once been, but it was lean and twisted and _dark_.  And it had seen her.  She ran, kicking off her heels at the stairs so she could move faster; she had to reach her husband, warn him and get his protection.  She was nearly at his office when she ran into Chef Bouche, running from the garden where he must have been collecting the mint that still grew, despite the greyness. 

The chef was deathly pale, and his knife was clutched in bloodless fingers and the arm that held it hung uselessly at his side.  Seeing her, the large, Moorish man ordered her to run, to make for the kitchens and, pushing mint into her arms, took off for them himself.  Belle turned back towards the living rooms, looking for her Prince, but she figured that the mint must mean something, so she kept it, holding it out in front of her like a ward.

Before she could open the door to his office, Belle felt a hand grab her arm; she turned and, reaching out, struck at her capture, only to hear a familiar voice cry out.  “Lumiere!” Belle cried, “I’m so sorry! I thought –”  “I know, Cherie, quickly, this way!” Lumiere helped her pick up the mint she’d dropped and then led her back down the hall and stairs and to the Grand Sitting Room. 

There, Belle ran into her husband’s arms.  Both of them tried to tell the other about the creatures, and then they both laughed despite the situation.  The Prince kissed Belle quickly and gently before turning around and quickly considering the gathered crowd; there was about thirty servants present, some armed with heavy candelabras and other assorted make-shift weapons, some just wringing their empty hands.  They were all scared and looked to the Royal couple for guidance.  The Prince looked at his wife and she stared back into his eyes; their thoughts were clear enough to each other, ‘What do we do?’  They had prepared for the worst, but this was so much worse than they could ever had thought.

“Friends,” the Prince started, “my dear friends; I won’t tell you not to be afraid, because your Princess and I are also afraid, but we must persevere.”  He turned to Belle and, as if they had rehearsed this speech, she took over.  “We must calm ourselves now, and I know that will not be easy, but if we remain calm, we can work together and plan our next moves. Everyone, please take a deep breath with me. Now, tell me, one at a time, what do we know?”

At once, hands raised and voices cried out, one after another:

“They hate light, even candlelight,”

“Water too, they wouldn’t cross the spilt watering cans, I saw!”

“They can’t stand the mint!”

“No, the mint!”

“They haven’t smashed the glass; I’m not sure they know what it is,”

“They can and will kill,”

“Chef’s knife barely phased them, and he was hurt from stabbing it,”

“We’ll be safest in stone walls with light and mint,”

“There aren’t more than a score of them.”

At this, the Prince nodded, and he decreed that the kitchens would be the safest place for them; the kitchens were stone and had a door to the outside, but it was a heavy door and could be barricaded.  They would all go together, and no one person would play the hero in the move.  Together, they would survive to the kitchens. 

With a plan set, the group armed themselves as best as possible, the stronger taking the weapons and the women moving to the centre of the group.  As they crossed the hall and towards the ballroom, the group heard the sound of breaking glass.  Some started to panic, but Belle hummed quietly to calm them again.  Quietly, they continued moving.  As they passed the ballroom, seven more servants joined them, but some of them were worn and had a look of terror in their eyes. 

They were at the Dining Room when the creatures seemed to find them; some of the servants screamed and ran, but others turned and faced the door.  Cogsworth suddenly appeared from a secret passage from the armoury, and he was armed with rifles and swords, a whole armful and two former candlesticks carrying armfuls as well.  They passed these out among the male servants.  Then Cogsworth and Lumiere turned and, temporarily handing their weapons to Babette, went to their Prince and Belle.

“You must go, now.” Lumiere said sadly.  “No!” The Prince exclaimed, “You are my friends, my teachers, my parents for all that it matters. I will _not_ leave you.”  “Oh, Sire,” Cogsworth said, fighting tears, “and you know we love you. We always have loved you sir, but if don’t go... You two must survive, warn the others, if it’s not too late, and serve as guides.”  The Prince looked as though he was going to fight more when the door to the kitchens opened and Chip popped out.

“Belle! You’re alive! I knew you would be; you have to come with me. I know a secret hiding place.”  Chip grabbed Belle’s arm and tried to pull her after him.  Belle turned and looked at her husband.  He turned back from Chip and looked at the hopeful and resigned faces of his subjects.  Lumiere and Cogsworth nodded sadly.  The Prince turned back to Belle and Chip, and Belle put out her hand for his; for a moment, he hesitated, then, he turned and pulled Lumiere and Cogsworth into a tight hug.  Then, he turned, and, taking his wife’s hand, they passed into the kitchen.

Lumiere and Cogsworth watched them go, then, turning to each other, Lumiere offered Cogsworth his hand to shake; the former clock looked down at it, then up at Lumiere’s sad, resigned face, and pulled his old friend into a second tight hug. 

In the kitchens, Belle, Chip and the Prince passed the chefs and Mrs. Potts preparing to barricade the doors and into a small, hidden door.  “Momma showed this to me.” Chip said proudly, “this leads to the dungeons, but there’s another door here, and it leads to the tower.”  Thinking the dungeons safer, the three headed to down the stairs.  Once in the dungeons, the Prince made sure Belle and Chip were safe in a cell and armed before he hesitated.

“Go. I release you.” Belle said sadly, causing her husband to turn and look at her in shock.  “If you feel as though you have to stand with them, your family, I understand. Chip and I will stay here. We’ll be safe here.”

“Belle, _you_ are my family.” Her husband said, reaching out for her hand, which she gave him, smiling.  “But so are they,” she said, “and I love you. I will always love you, but as you’ve learned, more than anyone, love just grows stronger as you share it. Go, do what your heart tells you you must.”

“I love you.” He said one last time, and he leaned in and kissed his wife one final, lingering time.  Both Belle and her Prince treasured this kiss, somehow knowing it would be their last.  Just like months ago, in a happier time, he pulled back and, pulling her hand up, kissed it, palm first, then he turned it over and kissed her knuckles and, finally, her fingertips.  Belle laughed, and smiling, she stood there, newly released hand pressed over her heart until her husband was out of sight.

At the sound of the heavy door close and latch, Belle let out a sob and moved her hand to her lips, as if to savour her husband’s last kiss.

Together, Belle and Chip sat in the Dungeon for what seemed like days.  When sounds echoed down the stone walls, Belle sang softly about meadows and adventure.  Chip told her jokes and a story about a cat he had once found when he was still a cup.  They grew hungry and thirsty and tired, and the walls grew silent and cold.  Finally, after an age, Chip fell asleep in Belle’s lap and she began to shiver from the cold.  Still, she waited, cold, hungry, thirsty and heartbroken.

Then, suddenly, she saw a watery light start to pass over the top of the wall; shocked, Belle carefully placed Chip’s body on the stone floor and stood.  Quietly, she left the opened the cell door and walked to the stairs.  Just as she reached the edge of the pale light, Chip stirred and yawned, stretching from his long, uncomfortable sleep.  Belle placed one hand – the hand her husband had last kissed – in the light beam, and, feeling it’s warmth, she smiled before turning back to face Chip.

“It’s over, Chip. We’re safe now.” Joy flooded Belle’s tone.  “But, Belle,” Chip asked, worried, “where is everyone? Shouldn’t they have come to get us?”  “Oh, Chip!” Belle cried, running down to pull him into a tight hug. “The others aren’t coming. It’s just you and me now, Chip. I promise you though, I’m here for you, always.”

Chip started crying, but he pulled away from Belle and nodded.  “I’ll always be here for you too, Princess. Can we get out of here now?”  Together, Belle took Chip’s hand and led him from the dungeon, through the empty kitchen and into the now-sunny garden.  “What now, Belle?” he asked.

“I have to go back, Chip, but I want you to stay here. No,” she said, “don’t argue, and don’t look into any window; believe me, I’m doing this to protect you. Go find mint, and collect as much as you can. As much, do you understand?”  Chip nodded and ran off toward Chef Bouche’s forbidden garden; ‘now it was all his for the picking!’ Chip thought hysterically, and he was going to pick it clean. 

Belle smiled at Chip’s resiliency, and then she turned and went back into the kitchen.  She paused at the Dining Room door, mentally preparing herself for what she knew she would have to see, but, surprisingly, there was nothing to see.  At first, Belle irrationally thought that they must be alive. They all must still be alive!  But she knew better; in her heart, Belle knew they were gone.  Then she realized she was stepping in a pile of black ash with her bare feet.  ‘The creatures?’ She thought.

No matter what they were, Belle had a job to do, and she knew she had to complete it before a curious teenager came looking for her despite her orders.  Belle first made her way to the stairs and found her shoes.  Then, Belle quickly made her way to the West Wing and her husband’s old home when he was a Beast.  Quickly, she climbed to the room he used to live in and ran to the intact glass table he’d had commissioned from Snow White’s dwarves.  There, glimmering slightly in the pale sun was the mirror, right where it always was, untouched by age and the black dust. 

Belle carefully pried the glass lid open and reverently removed the Mirror which she placed on the ground next to the table.  Then, she stood and, going to the heavy candelabra on the dresser, she took it and smashed the table and lid; taking a sharp shard, she then went to the heavy red velvet curtains and ripped a rough square. Returning to the Mirror, she brushed it off and then wrapped it in the velvet. 

Finally, Belle went to the Prince’s office and took the heavy purses of gold, the valuable Crown Jewels he kept locked there and the opal ring he’d bought her for her upcoming birthday; it was meant to be a surprise, but Chip had found it and had just _had_ to tell her right away.  Belle smiled and brushed off a few tears at the happy memory before steeling herself and leaving the room and the castle behind. 

Returning to the Garden, Belle found Chip lounging in the sun, baskets and baskets full of mint beside him.  Hearing her approach, he leapt up. “So, Princess, what are you going to do with all this mint I got for you?”  “I’m not sure just yet,” she replied, “but we’ll think of something, won’t we?”  “So, now what?” Chip asked.

To answer him, Belle pulled out the velvet and unwrapped the Magic Mirror.  “We are going to call for help.”  “But, Belle,” Chip said, confused, “the Mirror hasn’t worked since the curse was lifted.”  “It will work now,” she assured him, “look at how it’s shining. We can use it’s magic again, but who do we call?” she asked.

“You need not call anyone,” a new voice said, startling both Belle and Chip.  “Look!” Chip exclaimed.  “The Mirror! Hello, lady; can you help us?” Indeed, there was lady in the mirror, a young lady with long blonde hair and a green gown. 

“Yes, Madame,” Belle said respectfully, “I’m not sure who you are or why the Mirror showed you to us, but can you help us? There was an attack...” Belle trailed off as the woman nodded.  “Yes, Belle, I know. I know everything. I can help; I can protect you. As for why the Mirror called me, I am the Enchantress who gave your husband the Mirror in the first place.”  At Belle’s shocked gasp, the lady laughed faintly; “Yes, that was me, all those years ago, and I’ve been close by ever since, watching. I will come for you, guide you to me. In my home you will be safe, for a time.”

“Will you also teach me magic?” Belle asked, “Teach me how to protect myself and Chip?”  “Magic,” the Enchantress said, “is not something many humans can learn, Belle.”  “I promised Chip and my husband that I would protect us; please, oh please,” Belle begged the Enchantress’ image, “try. I will work so hard; I’ll never give up, and we need the help, the defence.”

The Enchantress seemed to pause for a moment and was completely still in the Mirror; she stared into Belle’s eyes, and she found herself both unwilling and unable to look away.  Finally, the woman seemed to come to a conclusion and nodded before disappearing from the Mirror as the glass began to swirl back into Belle’s own image.

Confused, Belle and Chip glanced at each other until, suddenly, a shimmery veil appeared in front of them.  Looking back at each other, Belle held out her hand; Chip took it and, together, they turned towards the veil and with a deep breath, they walked through it.

“Welcome,” said the voice, and Belle and Chip opened their eyes to see the woman from the Mirror standing in front of them in some sort of wooden room.  They both looked around in awe before Belle gathered herself and curtseyed to the woman.  She smiled and curtseyed back before gesturing with her wand to the wall on their left.  To their surprise, it opened and split into two paths leading down. “You will find baths and clothing; Chip, the right path is yours, go, and enjoy a warm bath. You can mourn tomorrow. And for you, Princess, rest tonight. If you are to learn magic, we start our work tomorrow. It is a difficult path to tread, but I think you might just be able to follow it.”

With a first, weak smile to her new mentor, Belle turned and walked towards her new path and life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know people are passionate about their Princesses, especially Belle, and I wanted to do her justice. I can't say anything more other that this was a truly emotional journey for me and I hope it was just as wonderful for you. Thank you for reading.
> 
> As we've mentioned, this started primarily as a cosplay project; I will be premiering our Belle at Animazement. There will be photos posted to a dedicated Disney Princess Warriors Tumblr, and I will update this with the link when they are ready. I am the prop maker, and it was a lot of fun to make Belle's staff and Mirror - my third staff and second mirror! We are also planning a Belle, Rapunzel, Merida and (possibly!) Cinderella photoshoot in July-ish.


	5. Chapter Three: Aurora, Maleficent (Rec. Main)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a lot of world building that goes into it; Aurora's life in the palace is described in detail as well as how Phillip and Maleficent fit into it. I recommend this chapter be read as part of the main story because Ariel is mentioned and Aurora's castle is the one they all live in the the main story.
> 
> As to my Phillip; he's really a non-character in Maleficent, so I made him her greatest advisor and a second son. Why a second son? Well, there's no way a Crown Prince would be allowed to travel, let alone alone to a "mad King's" court, and yes, rumors of Stephen's madness would have spread. So we pictured a second or third son, sent to be a "page" for a year. That also explains why he can stay at Aurora's court and shy they'd rule her kingdom and not his.
> 
> Their "courtship" has also been changed; my Aurora is just trying to keep her throne from power-hungry nobles with Royal blood, therefore, Phillip uses their time together to advise her, not to court. He knows she doesn't want a political marriage like the one that killed her mother, so he's holding off until they're more secure. Also, Aurora has an almost hero-worship relationship with her dead mother, going so far as to wear her - heavily altered - clothes; this also help to establish that she rules the kingdom by her Mother's birthright, not her commoner father. 
> 
> This chapter has a lot packed in about nine document pages, so I hope you enjoy it! Comment if you are confused by anything.

 

There was an ill wind coming from the East.  That troubled Maleficent, that and the bad dreams.  Dreams had never bothered the fairy before, but these were especially portent.  Other residents of the Moors had suffered them too, in fact, of all the creatures Maleficent knew, only Aurora was untroubled by them.  Finally, the signs of trouble brewing were too much for Maleficent to ignore, so, after discussing her plans with Aurora and looking over Phillip’s maps, she and Diaval made preparations to leave for the Eastern Continent.   Both Maleficent and Phillip thought the trip wouldn’t take more than a fortnight at the outset. 

It was the first frost of Autumn when they took off from the Moors; Aurora and Phillip had spent the night there to see them off and Aurora was sneaking more berries into Maleficent’s bag for Diaval.  Phillip and Maleficent were going over the map and planned route one last time as Maleficent didn’t plan to take the valuable paper with her.  Finally ready, Aurora petted Diaval’s head and stroked his feathers one last time before pulling her godmother into a tight hug; the raven hopped onto Phillip’s shoulder and gave him a _glare_ that could only be translated to: “Take care of her, _or else_.” 

Then, with a gust, Maleficent and Diaval took off.  Aurora and Phillip lingered until they were far out of sight, and then Phillip touched Aurora’s hand and led her back to the edge of the Moors and their horses; he was worried that, without Maleficent’s protection for the first time in the three years since she took the throne, Aurora’s ‘loyal’ noble advisors would use this opportunity to attempt to take control of her.  Indeed, for the entirety of the ride back to her palace, Phillip kept one hand on the reigns and one hand on his sword, just in case.

 

**Three months later...**

Aurora woke to face another bitterly cold day; it was after the New Year, and Maleficent still hadn’t come or sent word where she was.  Aurora was trying to keep hope, but she was worried.  She also knew it was only a matter of time before Phillip’s father recalled him; he wasn’t pleased, Phillip had confessed one night, that they were still not engaged, but he knew, better than anyone save her godmother, how fearful Aurora was at putting herself into another person’s hands.  Finally, Aurora rose from the warm covers, just in time to hear a tap at her door and see her handmaid come in. 

The old woman had served her mother, and, while Aurora still wasn’t comfortable wearing clothes that needed two pairs of hands to wear, Phillip had stressed to her the importance of “looking the part” to protect herself from her enemies at court.  So Aurora put up with the heavy gowns, the pinching crown and all of the lessons.  She had also learned the benefit of gossip, so she listened closely as she was dressed each morning; then, after breakfast, rain or sun, Aurora and Phillip would take a walk.  When Maleficent was close, she would sometimes join them, and Aurora would share the gossip she’d heard and listen to her _true_ advisors’ council. 

After her walk, which on some days was Aurora’s only trip outside the stone walls, there were her lessons.  These lessons were supplied by her Royal Advisors, so Aurora worked diligently during them, but said little, unless, of course, it was to repeat a lesson from her masters; her real political lessons came later, from Phillip, but now Aurora could read in both English and some, limited Latin.  Her writing was still rather shaky and she tended to drip ink more than she should, but Aurora was proud of the fact that she could read and write, especially since her literacy master had confessed that he had never been able to teach these skills to her father.

Then, after a quick, cold lunch in private, Aurora had court sessions; this started with a private Council session and then a, shorter, Open Court session.  The favourite subject of the Council sessions was her marriage, or, rather, the lack thereof; half her advisors argued for a quick marriage to Phillip and an alliance with his father – after all, he was a second son, and his brother was healthy with a wife and three children already, so he would remain here and rule for his naive wife.  The other half – notably her mother’s sister’s husband – argued for a marriage to one of their own noble families because, after all, her father was a commoner, and more Royal blood would “temper” the line. 

Aurora despised that man only second to her father after she’d learned what he’d done to her dearest godmother.  No, now, she actually hated him worse, especially since he’d all but forced her to annul his son’s marriage to a “barren hag” of thirty; he’d found a loophole in the laws of succession, and even Phillip had had to agree with him about the annulment, so, with a heavy heart for her former cousin, Aurora had annulled the marriage.  Not twenty days later, her “uncle” had proposed a union between his son and “most beloved niece.”  Aurora had nearly fainted.  Fortunately, Phillip had seen this coming and had warned Maleficent, who had sent Diaval to watch for this and help Aurora. 

He had flown in, and, in a second, become a man and had summoned her to official business that just _could not wait_ as Queen of the Moors.  The next day, clothed in gold and crowned in laurel, Aurora had returned with a black-clad Maleficent – complete with green sparks flying from her fingers – and had announced that, due to her age and inexperience, she would remain the sole ruler of her kingdom for the foreseeable future.  Phillip had laughed; the nobles were too frightened too, well, aside from her handmaid and former cousin, now betrothed to a friend of Phillips’. 

That still didn’t stop them from bringing it up in Council.  This, and the other topics her Royal Advisors brought to her attention, were usually preceded by: “Your Majesty, we know how young you are and we think – for the good of the Kingdom, you understand...,” or some derivative of that.  Aurora could repeat them all verbatim, and it was a daily struggle to not roll her eyes each time she heard those words, or, for that matter: “you know nobody loves the Queen more than me...”

Finally, Aurora closed the Council session and preceded to the throne room and to declare the Court open for all public business.  Whether or not there was any business, Aurora would remain here until her public meal and then, barring any political events, she would be free to spent her nights as she wished; already, Aurora was dreaming of the next chapter of the book she was reading and a fire, Phillip sitting next to her with his Treatise.  With a low bow, Phillip approached the throne and asked her leave to sit; Aurora gestured to one of the low stools next to the throne: one was for Phillip, the other for her godmother. 

Aside from the nights, this was Aurora’s favourite part of the day; early in her reign, she hadn’t realised these sessions existed until, out walking one day with her godmother, she was yelled at by a farmer for cancelling a judgement.  She had been nearly in tears by the end of his rant, but, before Maleficent could interfere and punish the man for his harshness to her “Beasty,” Aurora had stood up straight and ordered him to bring his family forward and had asked Maleficent to augment her voice so she could call the neighbours as witnesses.  Once they were gathered, she had knelt down before them and had begged them to believe that she hadn’t known nor authorized her Councillors to act in such a manner.  Aurora had spoken so honestly, the gathered peasants all knelt too and had asked her forgiveness for believing that she didn’t care.  Aurora rose and bid them all to as well; she personally touched each person gathered’s hand and invited them each to the first _official_ open court session and dinner in one week’s time.  Then, she, Maleficent, Diaval and Phillip had had a little _talk_ with the Council.

Today’s session was looking to be free of complainants, so Aurora and Phillip were free to talk quietly; they weren’t so foolish as to talk about anything serious where they could and were being eavesdropped on, but they could talk about her worry for her godmother and Diaval.  No sooner had his name slipped from her lips when a cry was heard and the raven flew in through the open arch, but something was wrong, Diaval was listing to one side, and his descent was too sharp.  Phillip jumped up and ran for the bird, pushing two courtiers aside in order to reach and catch him just before he crashed into the floor.  Aurora was by his side almost immediately, calling for space and a healer.

Diaval moved a wing towards the pendant he wore, but he could barely cover his breast.  Phillip reached down and placed his hand over the amber glass for him; for a second, nothing happened, then Phillip felt a cold rush through him starting at the hand that touched the pendent, but he couldn’t move it.  Then, just as suddenly as the cold came, a heat rushed over him and the pendant glowed and, suddenly, Phillip was holding a pale – so pale – skinned man in his arms.

Diaval looked awful, so bad that both Aurora and Phillip gasped at the sight of him: his clothes were torn and falling off his nearly emaciated form, his skin was beyond it’s usually pale and was nearly white and his ridges – his beautiful, unique, inhuman ridges – were even more pronounced and defined against his face, which was shining with perspiration.  Phillip sat down and lay Diaval’s head down in his lap, resting his body on the cold floor; Aurora took the wide sleeve of her overdress and, kneeling next to the men, used it to mop his brow.  Her maid came running in with water in a copper mug and Aurora took it and, with Phillip holding Diaval’s head up, carefully helped him drink some. 

Diaval tried to speak, and, although they were both desperate for news, Aurora and Phillip tried to quiet him.  “Rest now, pretty bird,” Aurora said, “you can tell us later.”  “No,” Diaval croaked out, “now, you must know now...”  Aurora and Phillip looked at each other, worried.  “Let’s first get you to a bed.” Phillip said; ‘and privacy,” he thought.  Phillip placed Diaval into Aurora’s arms and then gestured to his friend; Phillip stood and, taking Diaval, followed his friend to his own room and placed Diaval on his bed.  Aurora followed.  In the royal bedchamber – for Aurora had chosen to take her mother’s old room instead of her father’s – Phillip, Aurora, his friend and Knight Errant and his wife, Aurora’s handmaid and the healer and one of his apprentices gathered.  As the healer’s apprentice boiled water in a copper kettle and the handmaid prepared sheets, the others gathered to hear what Diaval had to say.

“Oh Aurora,” he finally managed, “it’s horrible. She sent me on ahead; she had to go back, try to save them. The clouds – the black clouds – they were so thick on the land, we were forced to fly _beneath_  them.”  He paused to drink more water.  “That isn’t normal, right Diaval?” Phillip asked.  “I thought most storm clouds were low and easy to fly over.”  “No,” Diaval confirmed, “it’s not normal, but neither is their power to wilt crops.

“She tried to save them, but it was magic that destroyed them, so she couldn’t do anything.. The further North and East we went the worse it got. Whole villages dead from famine. We saw a few survivors, but at the sight of us she screamed that we were monsters, like _them_.”

“Them?” Both Aurora and Phillip asked.  “Yes, _them_. We didn’t see any _them_ , but we decided to keep to the ground after that. Maleficent even covered her horns in fabric and wore a cloak to hide her wings; you should have seen it!”  He tried to laugh, but it came out as a cawing choke.  Aurora offered him more water.  “Perhaps I can ask her to repeat the style so we can all enjoy it.” She exclaimed, but Diaval didn’t even smile; his mind was still on the fears he’d seen in Germany and the East.

“Denmark was the worst; the queen there was a mermaid, so she didn’t blink at us, even offered us a bed and new clothing. We stayed a few days, but her husband grew worried that he hadn’t heard from Arendelle, so, naturally, she offered fly over. We were halfway there when I noticed the clouds gathering behind us start to shoot lightening and _fire_. Immediately we turned back; Arendelle had probably fallen by then, so we thought to save the people we could, but we were too late.

“The people had hidden in a cave that was protected by water at the ‘high tide’ but it hadn’t protected them long. When we arrived, we flew to the cave the mermaid had shown us and we found a few, including her, fighting a black creature. Maleficent stepped in and killed it by pushing it in the water, but the damage was done. The Queen lost her husband, daughter and most of her people.

“She asked Maleficent to do for her what she did to me: let her go back and forth, but there were two spells on her already; she said if she did, she’d be human on land, mer in the sea, but since she’d traded her voice for legs once, she’d have to honour that spell. She’s lose her voice as a human. She agreed, but only after telling her people that survived to follow Maleficent towards ‘Corona’. Maleficent agreed to lead them but sent me on ahead to warn you.

“She’s coming her next, and she’s going to burn every bridge she comes across in the meanwhile. She thinks we have time, but it’s running out.”  As Diaval spoke, his voice was growing weaker.  Aurora and Phillip looked at each other and then Aurora leaned down and kissed Diaval’s head.  “You did good, pretty bird. Rest now, we’ll talk later.”

Aurora and Phillip left Diaval to the healer’s hands and, by silent agreement, went to the salon; Phillip’s friend, Sir Michael and his wife followed.  There, the four seemed all lost in thought for a long time.  Finally, the knight broke the silence; his voice was quiet, as if he wasn’t sure if he should be speaking at all, but he had been shaken by Diaval’s account and the fear in his voice.  Phillip was suddenly reminded that he had family in Corona and felt a pang of sympathy for his friend.

“Do you think,” he asked, “that it’s all real? That it happened?”  At Aurora’s shocked gaze, his wife, her former cousin-by-law, quickly stepped in.  “What my husband means, dear cousin, is: do you think they will attack us here, whatever _they_ or _that_ is.”  Aurora was silent; all three were looking to her for answers, but she didn’t have any for them.  Her time in the Moors, with her magical aunts, learning from her godmother and Diaval had only taught her about a certain kind of magic, and she’d never heard of anything like this...  Aurora knew Diaval was scared, and she knew he had come here to try to forewarn her, but she had no idea what to do with the information.

Finally, she let hers and Phillip’s eyes meet; he smiled slightly, tightly, and nodded.  Phillip knew what Aurora was thinking, and, unlike her, he had some idea of what to do next, but he knew Aurora wouldn’t like it.  He didn’t like his idea much either, but he knew there was no other way. 

As soon as he was finished outlining his idea, his friends burst out talking – interrupting and countering each other, but Phillip and Aurora ignored them both.  Finally, she returned his smile and nodded slightly.  “Yes,” she said, “this is the only way.”  At that, the room fell silent.  Then, both Sir Michael and Lady Rachael bowed and swore to do their part.  Aurora went back to the room with Phillip and Sir Michael; while the men started to pack and prepare to return home to their Kingdom, Aurora fed Diaval some watery gruel and sat with him.  As it was Phillip’s room, he would remain the night with the raven, and Aurora soon left them to complete her own preparations for the next morning.

By Aurora’s command, the next morning after breakfast found the Royal Household and all of her Nobles were gathered in the Great Hall.  Hand in hand, Aurora, dressed in her cloth-of-gold gown from her coronation and Phillip entered and stood before the throne and people gathered; Aurora thanked the people for gathering so quickly and informed them that she had a very important and long awaited announcement.  Phillip was leaving for his own home.  Many of the commoners sighed sadly, but the nobles sighed with relief at the thought of his going, at least until Aurora continued her speech.

“But he will return, hopefully soon and with many of his people so we can join our forces and our Kingdoms against this threat my godmother – the Fairy Maleficent – warns us about and in Marriage.” 

The court erupted into noise; half was fear, the other half was cries of  “she’s mad,” “just like her father,” “we should have forced her to abdicate,” “magic and fairies,” and even more, worse things.  Aurora and Phillip stood and bravely faced the people in front of them; finally, Phillip called for silence.  “In the meantime,” he said, “I expect you to gather what food you can and preserve the grains and other foodstuffs you have stored for use this Winter. Abled-bodied men should begin to train with weapons, and the iron and metalsmiths should begin work immediately.

“I will return with supplies and reinforcements within a fortnight; there is little information on just what kind of enemy we face, but I’m sure that the love you bear for your Queen will encourage you in making these preparations.”  With that, Phillip and Aurora released the people back to their tasks and prepared to say goodbye.  Aurora wasn’t sure if this might be the final goodbye; Phillip said he would return, support or no, and Diaval hadn’t reported any dark magic on their side of the oceans, but she was scared, and Maleficent’s continued absence haunted her. 

Phillip sensed her worry and shared it, although he had different reasons for his: he was afraid that her “uncle” would use this as a pretence to steal the throne and lock up or kill Aurora; he’d tried before, not that Aurora knew that, and Maleficent had agreed with him that she never should.  In fact, that was the event that led to the kind of truce he had with the fairy.  Now, he _had_ to leave – had to try to warn his father.  Oh, but he would feel better if he knew she was safe, if something, someone from the Moors was there, even the three useless “aunts;” Phillip knew the betrothal would only protect Aurora for a limited amount of time.  But they had no other choice...

Finally, Phillip and Aurora knew he had to leave if he and Sir Michael were to make any headway before dark.  Aurora and Lady Rachael walked them out of the Hall and down to the bridge to the road when, suddenly, both women and the curious courtiers that had accompanied them stopped short.  There, at the end of the road was a tree!  A living, walking, full-bodied _tree_. 

Aurora stepped forward and curtseyed to it, “Balthazar?” She asked; at his small bow, Aurora smiled.  “You were sent here to protect me, weren’t you?”  Another bow and a grunt.  Aurora’s “uncle” stepped forward and opened his mouth, probably to complain; the treeman, Balthazar, opened his and _roared_.  That ended all protest.  Phillip laughed, “I now feel better leaving her in your very large, capable hands; thank you Balthazar.” the prince said with a bow.  Then, taking and kissing one of Aurora’s hands, he placed it in Balthazar’s, and he and Sir Michael turned and mounted the horses waiting several long yards away from the guardian.

Aurora watched until he was out of sight and then turned to face Balthazar.  “Can you come into the Castle?” She asked.  At his wooden nod, she turned and, taking his hand again, led him into the hall.  “Are you thirsty? We keep some copper pots that have never touched neither iron nor meat, so you can safely drink here.” At his second nod, Aurora sent a servant for a bowl of water; when a kitchen girl came with a copper pot, she hesitated at the dais; Aurora motioned her to come up so she could reach Balthazar’s arms, and, curtseying, she approached.  She handed the guardian the pot and he grunted his thanks and lifted it up and poured it over his head.  The maid gasped, and Aurora laughed “I think he liked it!”  Balthazar grunted and bowed again, and the mood in the room was lifted, albeit temporarily.

 

**-:::::-**

 

Two days past in quiet and veiled dis-ease; on the third day, just after Aurora’s breakfast and her seeing to Diaval’s, a maid burst into his room in a fit.  Maleficent had been spotted.  Aurora paused only a second before she turned and _ran_ for her bedroom and the balcony that Maleficent favoured landing on.  She half expected to see the fairy there already, lounging on her bed or on the rug before the fire, but she was early; so, with baited breath, Aurora waited.  After what seemed like an eternity, she heard the sound of her godmother’s huge wings.  Aurora was in Maleficent’s arms almost before her feel were on the floor; she felt the smooth feathers, her godmother’s warm body and breathed  deeply to smell the dark, rich, natural perfume she always exuded. 

“My, my, Beasty,” the older woman remarked, “this is a warm welcome. I take it you missed me.”  “Oh godmother, I was so worried; when Diaval returned –”  “Returned?” Maleficent exclaimed. “I had wondered why I hadn’t overtaken him on the flight back, but he only had a few days head start. Do you mean he’s here, safe?” Aurora confirmed that he was, and, at her godmother’s breathless request, led her to the room he had been put in.

“Oh Diaval,” Maleficent murmured, taking in his pallor, “you made a six day flight in four. What were you thinking?”  “I was thinking you needed me to be your wings again while you helped the people flee.”  “But you’re injured, and your magical energy is so low, not even I can help.” Maleficent said softly. “Will rest help?” Aurora asked softly; she knew Diaval was sick, but she wasn’t aware just how serious his condition was.  “Rest,” her godmother said, placing a comforting hand on Aurora’s shoulder, “is the only thing that will help him.  Now, let’s go, and you can tell me everything that has happened since I left.”

Aurora led her godmother back into her bedroom – one of the only rooms in the castle Maleficent was comfortable in – and, sitting in front of the fire, Aurora did just that.  Maleficent scoffed when she mentioned the betrothal, but she did understand it was necessary.  The fairy smiled at Aurora’s description of her court’s reaction to Balthazar.  “I hadn’t seen him as I passed the Moors, now I understand why. I’m grateful he came, but I’ll stay now. I can help oversee preparations.”

“Do you really think this will come here?” Aurora asked, suddenly very serious. “You said they were hurt by water.”  “Yes,” Maleficent confirmed, but her wings spread slightly before settling back, a sure sign she was uncomfortable and feeling vulnerable, “but they hate life more. They will find a way, but I don’t doubt we have time. Until Autumn, at least. But Phillip is correct in his assumptions; we need to stockpile food, train in arms. We can grow food in the Moors; the magic is a touch unpredictable, but the weather is temperate and can be planted now. The trolls and other land creatures will see to their growth.” 

Maleficent fell silent for a long time, staring into the fire.  Finally, she turned to face Aurora.  “Gather your people, and, together, we will make them understand how real this is.”  Later, after the Council session, the palace’s inhabitants gathered for the second time in a week.  Aurora was dressed in a dark green velvet gown she had inherited from her mother and was wearing her most ornate crown; Maleficent wore black and had green sparks coming from her fingertips.  She painted them a picture using her magic of the death and destruction until, finally, not even Aurora’s mother’s sister’s husband could doubt that this was real.

The orders Phillip gave were obeyed: the metalworkers heated their forges and, once again, began working nearly all day and night; the guards trained the young male nobles and strong peasants; maps were found, brought out and consulted; crops and goods were canned, stored and sealed away for bad times.  Despite all the martial planning and training, the Councillor’s wives began planning a wedding; Aurora really didn’t have much of a say in the event, but the one thing she insisted on was that she would wear a dress of her mother’s.  She, Lady Rachael and her handmaid chose a gorgeous ivory velvet and ermine trimmed gown; Maleficent took the dress to the Moors on one of her frequent trips there to have it enchanted and sprinkled by Fairy dust from some of the Moors’ denizens. 

With Balthazar to stand guard over Aurora and Diaval, Maleficent spent a good deal of her time flying between the Moors and the human kingdom; she tried her best the Fae Folk prepare for the coming darkness.  Unfortunately, Maleficent quickly learned why they had a protector: aside from a few creatures – like Balthazar’s people – the Fae were not a martial people. Still, Maleficent tried to teach them how to fight.  Fortunately, the Moors proved to be fertile land for growing and within weeks crops were beginning to show growth above the ground; the humans were shocked but most gratefully accepted the added supplied to their store.

Diaval, on the other hand, was not growing stronger; he was still very weak and needed to be fed by hand.  Maleficent decided his human form was the safer form to leave him in as he could best communicate with his nurse-maids that way, so human he remained.  Aurora visited him daily, and she often fed him his lunch personally, but both she and Maleficent despaired that he would ever be truly _well_ again.

 

**-:::::-**

 

Phillip’s return was celebrated throughout Aurora’s kingdom, but he had been largely unsuccessful in convincing his father and elder brother to return with him or to even spare him some troops.  Worse, Sir Michael had been found out to be an informant for his father and had revealed his true colours by calling Aurora a “fairy changeling that put too much faith in magic and unnatural beings.”  With a heavy heart, Phillip had banished his dearest friend from his service and presence; he also dreaded being forced to explain to Lady Rachael about her husband’s treachery.  Some people did listen to him, however; farmers, mostly, but Phillip brought them back with him.  Phillip also brought his birthright: gems and jewels, a matched sword, dagger and shield named, ironically, Oathbreaker , four score Knight-Errants to protect him, and a household of servants and trained workers. 

Just three days after his return, Phillip and Aurora were married in a rather odd ceremony; as Queen of both her mother’s Kingdom and the Moors, Aurora was married by both a human Priest and Maleficent.  Despite its forced nature, Phillip and Aurora tried their best to enjoy the moment; there was music and stew made from fresh game (porridge for the Fae gathered) and dancing.  The Great Hall was ablaze with fires and white and blue banners hung from the rafters over the stone walls.  Another throne was quickly brought from storage, and someone – probably one of Aurora’s aunts who had arrived the week before to “help” – had crafted two crowns out of flowers and had tied them with glittering, gold ribbons between and on top of the thrones.  There was a good envoy of fairies and other Fae Folk; Balthazar attended with more gold ribbon tied around his body, and even Diaval was brought down to watch the ceremony and following celebration. 

Maleficent watched mostly from the shadows, but she was smiling.  She was both proud and sad for her little “Beasty;” on one hand, she was proud to see the woman of nearly twenty she had become: polite, kind, beautiful, well-educated, strong, but still fun-loving and sweet, generous and loving to all.  Aurora was the complete opposite of her mutually hated father, and the Queen that her mother would have been proud to see.  But Maleficent was also sad; sham though it was, Aurora was still married today, and she wasn’t the most important person in the girl’s life anymore.  Logically, Maleficent knew Aurora loved her and that would never change, and she also knew that Aurora relied on Phillip’s council more than hers since she took the throne, but the _marriage_ , the finality of it and Aurora’s childhood _hurt_.

Maleficent also knew what tomorrow would bring: the sealing of the Moors.  She couldn’t defend both and knew that the humans needed her more.  Before the wedding, Maleficent had gone to the Moors and had offered the Fae Folk a choice; tonight, the envoy had given her their answer: they would be sealed in a magical forest of thorns, much like the ones she had once drawn around them, but these would cover the entirety of the Moors.  Only she would be able to cross them, and, even then, it would be hard for her to do so.  Maleficent would only go once a season, to bring news and pick up the harvest the Fae would grow for the human realm.

Oh, it hurt, especially to know that she would be all but trapped in the realm of cold, stone castles and cruel humans, but Maleficent knew that this was the only way to protect both Aurora and her people.  Diaval also knew about this plan, and he was also sad, but, for Aurora and Phillip’s sake, he smiled and clapped.  If anyone else noticed the Fairies’ sadness, they had the sense not to comment.  Indeed, Balthazar was a very in demand dancing partner, Diaval was well-tended by the unmarried Ladies of the court, Aurora’s aunts were popular in the drinking corner, where they flitted with their acorn mugs among the pints and quarts, and Maleficent, surprisingly enough, was seen talking softly with the Priest, eager to learn about Fae customs without judgement or consternation.

As for the Royal Couple, they danced the most and laughed the loudest; they knew, better than anyone save, perhaps, Maleficent and Diaval, that the morning would bring work, political pandering and fear back into their lives, but, for tonight, everything was perfect.  Finally, the fires grew dim and the people thinned; Aurora’s aunts had been carried to her by Balthazar to say goodbye and he had bowed his hours ago, Diaval too had been sent back to bed, the Ladies of the Court had been taken off by chaperones or their own betrothed, their mothers’ had gone off first of them all, the men were either with their wives or off in their private parlours, drinking with their friends.  Only Maleficent, the minstrels and a few tired servants remained. 

Aurora and Phillip thanked them for remaining until the watery pre-dawn light and sent them to their beds with the promise of the day off.  Hand in hand, Aurora and Phillip went with Maleficent to the Castle Battlements; they smiled at the cheerful salutes of the guards as they passed.  Finally, Maleficent turned to face them, she smiled, kissed Aurora’s forehead and took off for the Moors to spend the next few days.  Phillip stood next to his wife as she waved until the dark shape of her godmother was out of sight.  Then, they turned and made for the warmth of the Royal Quarters.

At the door to Aurora’s room, Phillip raised her hand to his lips, and, almost reluctantly, kissed it before bowing and stepping back.  He turned to retire to his room when Aurora laughed and threw herself in his arms, kissing him softly and quickly on the lips before she darted away and into her own room.  Phillip was left standing there, a hand involuntarily going to touch his lips which were turned into a silly smile; finally, after what seemed like hours, he turned again and headed for bed. 

Diaval was waiting for him – miraculously still awake – when he entered.  They talked quietly while Phillip undressed for the few hours of sleep he knew he’d only be allowed, each sharing his favourite parts of the day; they both agreed that while Aurora was the most lovely creature they both ever seen, Balthazar covered in glittering, shimmery gold ribbon was the funniest.  Finally, Phillip slipped into his side of the bed, careful not to jostle the recovering bird.  Today had been a dream, and, try as he might, Phillip couldn’t help but remember that dreams had to end when the day broke. 

“Look,” Diaval croaked, “the dawn is breaking Phillip, and the sky is still pink and blue. We’ll worry tomorrow, sleep now; I’ll watch over you for the time being.”


End file.
